


A Night to Remember

by CreamyXD



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Camelot, Complete, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Pre-Slash, Tavern, drunk!arthur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-03
Updated: 2016-01-06
Packaged: 2018-05-11 07:23:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5618521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CreamyXD/pseuds/CreamyXD
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur and his knights head out to the Rising Sun Tavern for a celebration and of course, Merlin is dragged along. When Arthur gets drunk from a little too much ale he begins to admit some secrets to his manservant he never intended to reveal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Night to Remember

 

The moon shined high in the sky above the kingdom of Camelot. The streets in the lower town were empty. Not a soul could be found in its winding roads except for a peculiar group consisting of a few Knights, a prince, and a manservant all headed towards the tavern near the centre of town. Their cheerful chatter could be heard loud and clear on the otherwise silent paths. The Knights joked amongst each other about various topics which ranged from women to swordcraft while the Prince and his servant proceeded with their usual banter.

"Come on, Merlin! Smile a bit! I thought you loved the tavern!" Arthur said jokingly towards the younger boy, giving him a light shove on the shoulder.

"I hate the tavern and you know it," the servant replied with a roll of his eyes, "I honestly don't know why you continuously insist I come with you on these celebrations." Not that he was complaining. He was simply curious. After all, Merlin loved nothing more than to spend time with his prince. 

"Despite how annoying you can be at times, I still do rather enjoy your company. You make things more... entertaining."

Merlin grinned, giving in to the prince's demands. He could never stay mad at the prat for long. "What are we even celebrating anyways? There hasn't been any tournaments that bring about any cause to celebrate."

"We're celebrating a successful hunt!"

"Arthur, you killed a deer." Merlin raised a questioning eyebrow at the prince.

"Yes, and do you realize how much more difficult it has become to hunt for deer ever since a certain idiot came along." Arthur smacked Merlin upside the head at the word idiot.

The servant groaned and rubbed at the back of his head. "I just don't see why you find enjoyment in killing innocent animals."

"Not this again. Don't be such a girl, Merlin. Anyways, we're here so let us have fun alright?" Arthur strolled through the doors into the Rising Sun Tavern with his knights. 

The warlock just rolled his eyes and followed after his prince. 

\-----

"Arthur, I think you've had enough," Merlin said as he watched the prince stumble about the tavern, empty tankard in hand.

"Nonsense!" Arthur slurred, dropping onto the bench beside Merlin. He swings an arm around the boy and gives him a wink. " 'm fine. Pass me another pint!" 

The waitress slid another drink towards Arthur only to have Merlin snatch it from the prince's grasp. "No, no more ale for you. You have a meeting with your father tomorrow and I know you'll only complain to me about your headache in the morning." 

"Please? I promise last one." Arthur looked up at Merlin with pleading eyes.

"Nope, you drink one more and you'll collapse."

Arthur pouts with his head on the table. "Yer no fun."

Merlin sighed, passing the drink to Leon whom still seemed fairly sober. "Leon, I'll be taking Arthur back to his chambers."

Leon gives a nod before turning back to his conversation with the other knights.

"Come on, lets get you out of here," Merlin said, turning to Arthur.

"I don wanna leave... Another-"

Merlin clamped his hand over the prince's mouth before he could order another drink. "Sire, we are leaving. Now." He hoisted Arthur up from the bench, keeping a hand on the man's arm in case he decided to wander off. 

"I don like it..." Arthur grumbled, keeping his feet firmly planted on the ground.

"You don't like what?" Merlin raised an eyebrow at the prince.

"....When ya call me 'sire'. I like it when ya say my name." The prince winked at his servant.

Merlin's face visibly reddened. He could feel his heart hammer in his chest. "Um... you uhh." For once the warlock was at a loss for words. He looked down at the ground in an attempt to hide his blush. Why was he blushing? The prince was drunk. He's just flirting with anyone he sees or perhaps he thinks he's Gwen. That must be it. Arthur must have mistaken him for Gwen. There are no real feelings here. Stop getting your hopes up.

Arthur suddenly laughed. He raised a hand and poked at Merlin's cheek. "Yer adorable when yer flustered."

Merlin's grip loosened on Arthur, sending the latter collapsing against another patron of the tavern. 

"Hey! Who-" The large man turned to face the two. He had a scar across his left eye and an ugly sneer on his face as he bared down on the prince and servant. "Was it you?" The man asked, jabbing a finger towards Merlin.

"Um, no sir. It was an accident. You see my friend here-"

The man grabbed Merlin by the neckerchief before he could finish his sentence. The servant let out a small yelp of surprise as he was easily lifted off the floor by the burly man. The stranger pulled his face close so they were looking eye to eye. "I think yer lying," the man snarled. 

Merlin tried not to gag at the scent of ale on the man's breath. Just his luck, the man was drunk as well. "I-"

The man tossed Merlin across the room before he could finish. The servant groaned in pain as his back smashed against a table. A few surprised screams arose from the crowd in the tavern. Some whooped in excitement at the brawl that was no doubt about to start. The man charged towards a dazed Merlin. The warlocks vision swam in and out of darkness. This was just not his day.

Merlin braced himself for impact only to feel... nothing. He looked up to find the man groaning on the ground and Arthur standing proudly over the fallen stranger who he had no doubt wrestled to the ground. The prince had another tankard in his hand. He gulped down its contents, slammed the empty cup down on a nearby table before striding over to Merlin and scooping him up into his arms. Merlin made a small squeak of surprise as Arthur lifted him off the table, one arm hooked under his knee and the other around his upper back. The pair left the tavern, leaving the stunned crowd behind.

"Um, Arthur?" Merlin asked, face burning bright red once again. 

"Hm?"

"What are you doing?"

" 'm a prince aren't I? And princes save their loves from fire breathing dragons."

Merlin laughed. "How much did you drink?"

"I only drank about six..."

"Six?! You really need to hold off on the ale."

" 'm not drunk!" 

"You clearly are when you think I'm your love and that man was a dragon."

"But ya are my love... and tha man was hurtin' ya!"

Merlin tried to hide a chuckle. This was hilarious. He wished he could have shown this to Arthur when he was sober again. The prat would have hid in his room for the rest of his life out of embarrassment. 

"I'm not your love, Arthur. Far from it actually." Merlin looked away, more than a little disappointed at the truth. 

"Course ya are! I love you, Merlin."

The servant froze. Not once had Arthur called him by name since he had gotten drunk. Merlin had assumed it was due to his drunken state. That the prince was seeing someone else in his place, perhaps Gwen, and flirting with her but the prince had addressed him outright. Doesn't that mean he realizes that Merlin was the one he was flirting with? The one he was saying these words to? 

After a few moments of silence, Merlin finally spoke up. "Come on, put me down. This is getting awkward." Merlin could still feel the heat in his cheeks from being in such close contact with Arthur as well as the sudden confession. He only hoped the prince couldn't feel his heart pounding away in his chest. 

Arthur set Merlin down on his feet, albeit reluctantly. The prince let out a huff of annoyance at having to let go of the serving boy. Merlin smiled at the sight of the spoiled prince pouting behind him as they began to make their way back to the castle. Before Merlin even took his first step, he felt a hand grasp his own. He looked down to find Arthur's hand entwined with his. Again, he blushed. The warmth of Arthur's hand in his caused butterflies to form in his stomach. His magic leaped with joy, trying in vain to crawl out and latch onto his prince. Merlin forced it down. This would be a terrible way for his magic to be discovered. He let his gaze wander up to Arthur's face. He found it to be a slight hue of red as well. Whether it was from the alcohol or something else he wasn't sure. 

The servant attempted to escape the prince's grip, his heart wasn't ready for this, but the prat held on firmly. Merlin sighed, once again giving in. He pulled Arthur along with him towards the castle, their fingers laced together the whole way and, unbeknownst to each other, a wide smile on each of their faces.

\-----

"Lift your arms up," Merlin ordered. 

Arthur did as he said though his movements were sluggish, allowing Merlin to pull his tunic over his head. The servant's gaze lingered over the larger man's chest for a moment before he tore his eyes away, tossing the shirt onto the partition and blowing out the candles in the prince's room. Stop ogling at him. He's your master. "Will that be all, sire?" Merlin asked as he stood over the prince's bed.

Arthur was lying on his back, blanket pulled up to his chest in a rumpled heap. He glared at Merlin from under the covers. 

"Arthur," Merlin corrected receiving a bright smile from the prince at the sound of his name. 

"I want a goodnight kiss," Arthur demanded, still in his drunken state.

Merlin lurched back. His heart pounded furiously once more in his chest. He tugged at his neckerchief nervously as the blood rushed to his ears, turning them a shade of pink. Arthur can't be serious. Yet, Merlin knew he didn't want to let the chance slip by.

Arthur chuckled at the sight of the flustered manservant. "Ya don-" His words are cut off by Merlin's lips on his. 

It only lasts for a moment before Merlin pulled away, face flushed even brighter red than before. Arthur continued to stare at his manservant, dumbfounded at what had just transpired. He eventually shakes from his reverie and gives the boy a mischievous grin. "I love you, Merlin."

The servant flushes an even deeper scarlet. "Um... will that be all?" Merlin asked a second time. 

" Am I pushing my luck if I... ask for another kiss?"

Merlin turned and briskly walked out of the room, pulling up his neckerchief in hopes that it would hide the rising blush on his face from any passerby's. 

\-----    

Merlin stood outside the prince's chambers the next morning, one of Gaius' remedies for headaches in hand. He shifted his weight from foot to foot nervously outside the door, contemplating whether or not he should enter. Should he act as though nothing happened? What if the prince had remembered about what he did last night? He should leave. Call in Gwen as a substitute. That's it, that is what he'll do. He's about to turn and go when a voice calls out from beyond the door. 

"Merlin!" Arthur's voice. Just his luck.   

He turned back around and entered the room. Merlin could see the prince on his bed with a hand draped across his forehead, rubbing at his temples. 

"Merlin?" Arthur called again when he heard the door open, "please tell me you have one of Gaius' tonics."

"Right here, sire," Merlin replied, handing the bottle over to the prince who downs its contents in one gulp. The manservant's eyes shifted about the room nervously. He chewed on his lip before asking the question that dominated his mind. "Do you remember any of what happened last night, sire?"

Arthur yawned and stretched his arms in the air. "Not much. I remember drinking in the tavern but that's about all. Though I did have a..." an idiotic smile appears on his face, "very pleasant dream last night."

Merlin let out a silent breath of relief and disappointment. He would be lying if he said he didn't want Arthur to remember at least a little. "A pleasant dream? What was it about?" Merlin asked as he picked Arthur's clothes out from the wardrobe. 

The prince paused, staring endearingly at the servant in front of him. Merlin turned at Arthur's sudden silence, wondering what was wrong only to find the man in question staring at him. "What?" He asked.

"Nothing. Now hurry up, Merlin, it's late and I still need to get dressed. I have a meeting with my father in an hour."

"You know you could learn to get dressed yourself. Would make things faster."

"Or you could learn to dress me faster."

Merlin rolled his eyes at the prince and began to help him dress. "Perhaps if you weren't so busy, oh I don't know, fighting 'fire-breathing dragons' last night you would have woken up on time."

Arthur immediately whirled around, eyes wide in shock as well as horror. "What did I say last night?"

Merlin chuckled. "You claimed to be saving me from a fire-breathing dragon."

The prince visibly paled. "D-did anything else happen?"

"Why don't you ask your knights? They were there for some of it," Merlin said with a smirk.

Arthur turned even paler than before. "Merlin, what did I do."

The servant chuckled as he pulled the tunic over the prince's head. "Nothing."

"Merlin! Tell me!" Arthur asked, panic clear in his tone.

The warlock simply grinned and moved over to the door. "Like I said it was nothing." 

Arthur grabbed one of the goblets on the table next to him and chucked it at the servant's head. Merlin ducked out of the way, almost tripping on the door as he spun around the corner and raced down the hall, the sound of laughter in his wake.

"Merlin! Come back here! Tell me what happened last night!"


	2. A Night to Remember Part 2

The sun shone through the curtains, lighting the otherwise dim room. The prince himself slept peacefully in the bed, a large dopey smile on his face as he filled the chambers with the sound of his snores. The blond woke with a sudden start at the sound of shuffling footsteps outside his room. He let out a groan of annoyance at having been disturbed from his dream, as well as at the pounding headache that began to throb when he awoke. He reached an arm up to his forehead and began massaging his temples in hopes to ease the pain, only to no avail. 

He let out a groan again. He would strangle whoever was at the door. He had been right in the middle of a dream involving a certain big eared idiot where he had finally managed to get a kiss from the dollop-head after the servant had brought him back to his chambers when he had gotten drunk in the tavern. 

The prince rolled onto his back then glanced towards the door, wondering why no one had entered yet. "Merlin!" He called, hoping it was indeed him that was outside. 

The door creaked open, revealing the servant waiting in the hall. He entered, vial in hand before shutting the door. "Merlin? Please tell me you have one of Gaius' tonics," Arthur said, still attempting to rub away the ache in his head.

"Right here, sire," he heard Merlin say as he handed the bottle over to Arthur. He was disappointed to hear Merlin addressing him as 'sire'. He let out a wistful sigh for the dream he had been interrupted from. In there, the boy had addressed him simply as 'Arthur', much to the prince's delight. Though Merlin still did that now it just wasn't as frequently as he would have liked.  

The blond gulped down the bottle's contents quickly, almost immediately feeling the effects of the potion wash away the throb in his head. He set the empty container back onto the night stand as Merlin asked, "Do you remember any of what happened last night, sire?"

Arthur yawned and stretched his arms in the air, perhaps trying to show off just a tiny bit to the servant before answering honestly. "Not much. I remember drinking in the tavern but that's all. Though I did have a..." he smiled widely to himself as he thought back to the kiss he had shared with Merlin in his dreams, "...very pleasant dream last night."

The prince could hear a sigh from the servant beside him before the latter headed towards the wardrobe, pulling clothes off the racks. "A pleasant dream? What was it about?"

Arthur remained silent. His eyes trailed after the servant as he went about on his daily tasks. He studied the boy's every move, committing it to memory. How would the servant react if he told him the truth? That he was having a drunken dream about him? He sighed to himself. Merlin could never know. For as much as he would love for his dream to have been real, he had been acting as a total buffoon in it. How many embarrassing things did he say? Much too many to count. Merlin would only laugh at him if he told him about his dream and the utterly embarrassing things he said. And that was only if his manservant hadn't been scared off by the sudden confession of his feelings.

"What?" Merlin asked, watching the prince stare. 

"Nothing," Arthur smiled, climbing out of bed. He was content with the way things were. Just the two of them. The prince and his servant. Of course, he would be lying if he said he didn't at least wish for something more. "Now hurry up, Merlin, it's late and I still need to get dressed. I have a meeting with my father in an hour."

"You know you could learn to get dressed yourself. Would make things faster."

"Or you could learn to dress me faster."

Arthur caught a glimpse of Merlin rolling his eyes at him before he proceeded to help him dress. "Perhaps if you weren't so busy, oh I don't know, fighting 'fire-breathing dragons' last night you would have woken up on time."

Arthur spun around so quickly he could have snapped his neck. His eyes widened at Merlin's words. Those events in his dream were not real. They couldn't have been. Then again, how else would Merlin know something he had said during a drunken haze in his dream?! "What did I say last night?"

Merlin gave a small chuckle as if remembering an amusing event. "You claimed to be saving me from a fire-breathing dragon."

Arthur's mouth fell open, agape in shock. He could feel the blood drain from his face. "D-did anything else happen?"

"Why don't you ask your knights? They were there for some of it." Merlin smirked, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

The prince could feel himself pale further. "Merlin, what did I do?"

Merlin chuckled again as he pulled the tunic over a frozen Arthur's head. "Nothing."

"Merlin! Tell me!" Panic rose in the prince's voice. He was not ready for this. Not at all. If what had happened in his dreams were true then that meant he confessed to Merlin last night. What's going through his servant's mind right now? Is he disgusted at the thought of his prince falling for him?

Merlin skirted over to the door, a cheeky grin on his face. "Like I said, it was nothing."

Arthur reached for a goblet on a table nearby. He threw the cup at the servant's head, who somehow managed to dodge the flying projectile. Not without almost tripping on the door though. The boy rounded the corner and raced down the hall. All Arthur could hear was laughter echoing from the walls as his servant disappeared.

"Merlin! Come back here! Tell me what happened last night!" The prince shouted down the hall in vain. 

Arthur kicked at the door in frustration once he realized Merlin was long gone. He contemplated chasing after him only to realize he had a meeting with his father he ought to be getting to. He sighed before turning in the opposite direction down the hall from where Merlin ran.

\-----

"Merlin!" 

Arthur's voice echoed off the walls of the citadel as he stormed through the halls after the meeting with his father. He had searched all over the castle already. He checked in the physician's chambers, the palace kitchens, the armoury, the stables, and the training grounds. Where else could that idiot be?

The prince was fuming by the time he ran across Leon in the halls. "Leon, have you seen Merlin anywhere? I've been searching for him all day!" The prince asked.

Leon's face broke into a grin at the mention of Merlin's name. The knight attempted to hide a chuckle before turning back to the prince. "I believe he said he was headed to your chambers last I saw him, sire," Leon said, still trying in vain to hide the smile from his lips.

Arthur raised an eyebrow in question at the knight's strange behaviour. "What are you smiling about?"

"Nothing, my lord. Nothing at all."

"Nothing? There is clearly some-" Arthur stopped mid-sentence. He thought back to what Merlin had mentioned earlier in the day. That if he wanted to know more on what happened last night he could simply ask his knights. The prince paled. "What did I do last night, Leon?"

"You don't remember?"

"No, I remember nothing. Now tell me what happened." That was a partial lie. He had a sneaking suspicion on what may have happened but he hoped he was wrong. 

"You had gotten drunk last night while we were in the tavern. You were stumbling about and even flirted with Merlin for a bit. He was about to take you back to your chambers when something happened and he was suddenly thrown across the room by a man. You got angry and tackled the man to the floor. Afterwards..." Leon started to chuckle once more at the memory of what had transpired, "...you carried Merlin out of the tavern as though he were some princess."

Arthur almost stumbled into a passing maid at Leon's words. So his dream wasn't a dream. It had actually happened. He could feel his cheeks burn red at the thought of all the embarrassment he must have underwent. His heart raced as he realized that that meant he had confessed to Merlin last night. "Thank you, Leon. I must take my leave now."

The prince turned, about to head down the hall before he stopped in his tracks. He turns back around, a stern look on his face and a finger pointed at the knight's chest. "You speak of this to no one. Do you understand?"

"Of course, my lord," Leon nods, smile still intact on his face.

The prince turned back around and raced back towards his chambers in a panic. He had confessed to Merlin. He had confessed to him in the middle of an abandoned road in the lower town, smelling like alcohol and, worst of all, while he was drunk. He had always pictured himself confessing to the servant in a much more... romantic way. If he confessed at all. Arthur cursed under his breath at his own stupidity. How was he to ever face Merlin now? 

The prince stopped once he reached the door to his chambers. What was he going to say? Was he supposed to just walk in? Act as though nothing happened? Merlin must be disgusted with him. What if he decides to quit? Stop thinking like this. If he was angry or disgusted he would have said so this morning. He seemed happy, perhaps even more so than usual. He's overthinking things.

Arthur reached his hand out towards the door handle, ready to enter when a new thought entered his mind. Hadn't Merlin kissed him in his dream before he went to sleep? If the rest of the events in his dream were true. Who's to say that wasn't either? 

Arthur cursed again under his breath. Merlin had kissed him last night and he was too drunk to savour it properly. The prince mentally kicked himself for his own idiocy. At least he had confirmation that there was nothing to worry about. Merlin may very well return his affections. Hopefully.

"Arthur?" 

The prince looked up to find Merlin staring at him with a quizzical look on his face. The door was open to his chambers. A bucket and scrubber were on the floor where Merlin must have been scrubbing at the wood.

"I heard someone cursing outside the door. Was that you?" Merlin asked, pointing a finger towards the prince.

"Merlin," Arthur said, ignoring his manservant's question and entering the room, "Do not try and avoid the question this time. What did I do last night?"

"I never knew you were such a hypocrite, Arthur. You tell me not to avoid your question while you avoid my own?" Merlin shook his head in mock disappointment, "I'm ashamed of you. Oh, what would the king think?"

Arthur rolled his eyes at the servant's mocking tone and teasing smile. "Alright, yes, it was me. Now, what happened last night?"

Merlin smiled widely, a bright glint of happiness in his eyes. "You want all the details?" He asks.

"Yes, all of it."

Merlin shot him a goofy grin before striding over towards the prince in two quick steps. He leaned forward, hands behind his back, and kissed the prat on the lips. Arthur almost stumbled backwards into the door in shock at the sudden action. The servant pulled away quickly though after his initial boldness disappeared. He backed away, his face flushed scarlet. He stared down at the tips of his boots as he shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. 

Arthur remained still, dumbfounded at what had just happend. He could feel his face begin to heat up from the close contact. He looked away as well, eyes shifting about his chambers. Merlin had kissed him. So that means his dreams were real. Does that mean he reciprocates his feelings?

Arthur looked up at Merlin who had his face turned away. The boy was busying himself with clearing away the armour scattered across the table. He seemed reluctant to turn back around. The prince takes in a deep breath, steeling his nerves for what he was about to do. He shuts the door behind him before approaching the servant. 

Arthur reached out a hand and tapped his manservant on the shoulders. Merlin turned just as the prince pressed a kiss to his lips. He let out a small gasp of surprise, almost toppling over the table before he managed to grip the edge to help steady himself. 

Arthur reached a hand up to cup the boy's cheek while the other snaked around his waist, pressing the servant against the prince's chest. He could hardly believe what he was doing. He must have been out of his right mind! He was about to pull away, feeling guilty that perhaps he had overstepped his boundaries when he felt the warlock's hands around his neck, pulling him back in. 

Arthur leaned back in gratefully, glad that the moment could last for even just a bit longer. He savoured the feeling, properly this time for this would not be something he forgot anytime soon. 

The prince was the first to pull away. He kept his hand on his servant's cheek, refusing to let him go. Merlin lifted a hand, placing it over the prince's as a smile broke across his face. Arthur smiled back. He gripped Merlin's hand and brought it towards his lips, planting a gentle kiss on the knuckle. 

"I love you, Merlin."

"I love you too, Arthur."


End file.
